Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Rangers are looking for a right-handed bat, but “are not simply waiting on a trade for” Mike Lowell, who they nearly acquired during the offseason before thumb surgery nixed the deal.
According to Rosenthal the Rangers “are exploring deals for a number of right-handed hitting corner players, including Diamondbacks left fielder Conor Jackson.” Last season was a lost year for Jackson, who played just 30 games and performed abysmally while struggling through a bout of valley fever.
He hasn’t bounced back very well this season, hitting just .238 with one homer and a .657 OPS in 42 games, but was a consistently solid hitter with an OPS above .800 in 2006, 2007, and 2008.Texas would likely be looking at Jackson as a platoon partner for rookie first baseman Justin Smoak, a switch-hitter who has struggled mightily versus southpaws.
Rosenthal notes that Jackson is making $3.1 million this season and will be arbitration eligible again in 2011, so while the Diamondbacks are probably looking to simply dump his salary at this point trading for him wouldn’t necessarily be merely a second-half pickup.